Let the battle of the HSM productions begin! With both Miss Jenn’s production of High School Musical 3 and the High School Musical 4 filming taking place at the same time, it seems that a blood bath is about to go down in the halls of East High. Mind you, the fight is between theater kids, so it will likely just be stage blood. (Or ketchup, if they are on a budget.)
The group has a tight schedule, with featured background rehearsals in the auditorium before they have to run and audition for Miss Jenn. The crop of auditioners already seems limited, as students are dropping the theater department from their extra curricular line-up faster than Ethan Slater dumped his wife for Ariana Grande. (Topical!) With the HSM4 filming being deemed more exciting than another school musical, it’s slim pickings.
Crystal, the choreographer, is stunned at the group’s ability to pick up choreo, but director Quinn still deems the auditorium off limits to Miss Jenn. The studio has paid a large sum of money to rent it out, so she can’t access it during production. Who knew this season’s biggest villain would be the AMPTP. Since the auditorium was scheduled to have film rehearsals for two hours, they utilize their time to work with Mack on his big dance number. He, shockingly, arrives to set early (mhmmm, sure Jan), so Gina fills in for Dani during the number.
As Gina fills the time, the other Wildcats begin auditioning for Miss Jenn, guerilla warfare style. They take turns running to the rehearsal room to sing their best 16-bar cut of “Now of Never,” leaving me emotional at the idea of HSM3 being 15 years old this October. [shudders]
After rehearsal, Mack lets Gina know that he appreciates her “sticking it to him,” as most fans just grovel at his feet. I love toxic masculinity! How cute! Later, Mack and Dani have a rehearsal for some scene work and, come to find out, Dani is horrid. Director Quinn looks on with an eye twitch and a bubbling undercurrent of stress. I mean, she’s a Sundance runner-up, she can’t stand for bad acting!
Ricky takes Gina on a date straight out of The Bachelor by bringing her to puppy rescue. He apologizes for making fun of her love of Mack as a child and gives her the gift of playing the Mark and Spark theme song on guitar. Y’all, expect this in ASPCA commercials within the coming weeks. It’s the perfect amount of cute and knowingly cringe. My god, I love them.
The cast list reveal happens on a whim at Gina’s house and the roles go to who you’d expect. Emmy takes on Taylor McKessie, but with the lack of auditioners, Chad has yet to be cast. Most high school theater departments have the opposite problem, having ginormous ensembles to give everyone a part. Yet, Miss Jenn doesn’t even enough to cast the core Wildcats.
As the cast list is revealed and the excitement begins to grow within the group, Gina gets a literal call from Hollywood. After Quinn has a discussion with Miss Jenn, she has decided to offer Gina a starring role in HSM4…replacing Dani. The yelped that I yelped. God, I live for drama kids’ drama.
Extra Credit:
- The filming of the “Now or Never” sequence was the most cinematic thing this show has ever produced, so I’d like to give it up to the DP and everyone else involved. Y’all better work!
- Ashlyn may be out and queer to her friends, but Big Red still doesn’t know. With his own coming out process occurring simultaneously, Ashlyn feels weird stealing his thunder. Carlos' suggestion of “dropping a bomb then going on airplane mode” is not only beyond funny…but something I do far too often. Sue me.
- Ricky’s combo of “Hollywood? More like Hollywill” and then later not having a high-five reciprocated is me coded.
- “Did your movie win any Oscars?” “Remove her immediately, I can’t be dealing with this.” Caitlin Reilly as Quinn is on another level.
- Ashlyn knows about Gina & Ricky, who is going to find out next? Carlos’ stress about Seb makes me think he needs to find joy through others’ drama. That’s my boy!